iPhone: kissing the laptop and desktop goodbye
By Triston McIntyre
It is clear at this point that Apple’s iPhone has truly paved the way towards a new era in smartphone technology, but is the iPhone’s potential relatively untapped? Could ultra-portable computing solutions make desktops and even laptops obsolete?
Andrew Melcher, writer for Seeking Alpha, recently interviewed an Apple store employee on the potential of the iPhone. Though, true to form, the Apple worker was gung-ho about the iPhone’s potential, the interview hints that the iPhone’s current image and success are only a shadow of the truly titanic potential the iPhone posesses.
When questioned about the iPhone, the clerk assertively responded that he felt the iPhone could soon be a replacement device for the television and computers in every way.
Pipe dreams? Probably…but maybe not.
Envision a world in which you control the full functionality, tools, and features of Apple’s OS X completely in the palm of your hand; at home, you wirelessly connect keyboard and mouse via Blu-tooth, and a mini-DVI cable projects your once-small display on a spacious 24 inch widescreen monitor.
How could this be possible? Currently, the iPhone is running OS X in all of its glory, though admittedly revised to exclude the larger features and system files now included on desktop or laptop copies. In future generations, expanded flash memory and faster processors will allow the iPhone to truly function as powerfully and extensively as current Apple machines.
Trends in computer sales reveal that users are rapidly deserting desktop machines in favor of portable and ultra-portable solutions; portability and versatility are the name of the game for the 21st century. iPhone sales released by Apple also recognize users’ desires for all-in-wonder handhelds that consolidate the functionality of cell phones, media players, and other devices.
Currently, there are countless applications being produced by third party designers that are bringing desktop functionality to the tiny iPhone; even bit torrent clients are making their way to the small handheld.
Will the iPhone really revolutionize the market so much that desktop machines and laptops will be abandoned? Of course not; however, expect to see Apple steadily increase the functionality of the iPhone to a point where no distinction need be made between the iPhone and the MacBook, as they will both be capable of the same things.
You can then, also, prepare to see investors monitoring stock trends with iPhones on trading floors. Expect to see them in the coats of doctors and nurses as they attend the beds of the sick or injured. You will see them in the hands of interior designers and architects.
The iPhone has yet to be tapped, and when it is, the results will be truly astounding.
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on Friday, July 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
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Stumble It!
July 27th, 2007
yep i left those on the side.. got my Iphone full with 5gb of media from IPHONE NOVA the 1st iphone downloading site. (im trying to fill up my 8gb. almost there..) LOL
Iphone Nova
http://www.j-winzo.com
July 30th, 2007
I won’t dismiss the idea out of hand, mainly because Apple has surprised many “experts” in the past.
It will be a difficult task if Jobs keeps his love of exclusivity intact. No 3G because of battery life concerns, and then making the battery nonuser swappable, having the Internet without Flash support, reluctance to allow third party apps, etc.. along with the lack of resources to execute a large scale multi deployment (OSX delayed for iphone) doesn’t bode well for the future you envision. The fan boys dismiss these concerns by convoluted catechism proving such thoughts as heresy at the altar of Job (all will be revealed in time, with iphone II, remember ipod I).
The Apple haters sneer at the simple elegance of the design, unable to see past their preconceived biases of the company as a supplier of cotton candy technology for lace underwear artsy fartsy folks blinded by the Jobs’ reality distortion field, their self image tied to the cracker jack devices they overspend to acquire. Some of my peers were quick to point out camping out for a freakin’ phone that wasn’t in short supply, then praising Jobs for having it readily available so they can buy it, fell into the “feed the monkey and watch it crap” school of marketing. It’s amazing folks weren’t pissed at being manipulated. Thank you sir, may I have another.
I hope Apple can accomplish your dream. If anyone can get people to buy into this vision, it’s Jobs.